Chipping Through The Ice
by MizWrite
Summary: Gray has trouble dealing with the new developments in his relationship with Juvia. Gruvia: GrayxJuvia. Gray POV. Sequel to "The Steady Drip."
1. Chapter 1

**This is a sequel to my story "The Steady Drip." It's not entirely necessary to read TSD to enjoy this story, but it is a continuation, with references back to the events in that story. So, it would be helpful, and save on any confusion, to read that first. ^_^ **

Gray and Juvia made a successful return back to the guild after their wyvern job. They were able to, with just a bit of difficulty, and a lot of team work, clear the mountains of the wyvern pack. They accepted their substantial reward from the mayor of the city itself, and enjoyed a pleasant day's celebration, and night's train ride back to Fiore. It was indeed a much different journey than they had experienced a couple of days earlier. The tension that had hung over Gray and Juvia over the past month or so had seemed to dissipate entirely, but Gray quickly was realizing that there was a new tension, and new expectations as well after the events that took place during their overnight stay in the woods. Gray, with every passing look, and shy smile from Juvia, was regretting his actions more and more. Actually, regretting wasn't really the right word. He didn't wish he hadn't kissed Juvia. He enjoyed that... a lot, if he was being completely honest with himself. But, now it seemed a kiss was just the tip of the iceberg, as far as what Juvia wanted from Gray.

Expectations weren't the only problem, because ever since they got back, it seemed there hadn't been so much as a leak, as an outright tsunami of information that spread through the guild about what had happened between Gray and Juvia in the forest. And when he had confronted Juvia about this, she reminded him that he had specifically asked her to tell Erza and Mirajane that everything was settled between them. She confessed that they asked for every little detail, and she provided. She had looked at Gray with wide, innocent eyes and had asked, "was that not ok?"

Gray ground his teeth as he looked over at the bar, and could see Mirajane chatting happily with a group of eagerly listening guild members. She spotted Gray, grinned, and waved before giving him the thumbs up. The group she was talking to did the same. Gray didn't know if he was burning more with anger or embarrassment. And that was just one of the pieces of information that was causing him trouble.

Everyone also knew that Juvia had defeated Gray in a battle. Gray didn't much mind this, as everyone, including himself, always knew Juvia was a very strong mage. His ego wasn't so fragile as to be shattered by something like that. No, the problem Gray had with Juvia winning their battle, was the bet they had made. Within three days of being back at the guild, Juvia, who had reverted back to her regular, more feminine clothes again, had approached him at the guild, and told him she had decided on what she wanted. It was, as far as Gray was concerned, the worst case scenario. She wanted to go on a date.

So, tomorrow, they would be heading off into Magnolia, just the two of them, to... what? Gray had no idea. What did you do on a date? And not just a date, but a date with Juvia, who's imagination always got the better of her. Who knows what she was picturing would happen on this date? But, if Gray had any say in it, it was going to just be two friends, hanging out. That's all.

Gray sat moodily, chewing all of these annoying Juvia-related thoughts over in his head, as he nursed his drink at a table in the guild, when he heard his name.

"Gray!" Juvia said happily, sitting down beside him, a box-shaped item wrapped in a blue handkerchief in her hand.

"Hi Juvia," he said, somewhat tiredly, eying the package with narrowed eyes.

"Juvia has made lunch, and... she was hoping Gray would like to try some," she said, blushing shyly.

"I don't want to take away your lunch. I could just buy something -" Gray started, but was cut off.

"Juvia made enough for two," Juvia said enthusiastically, slamming the box down in front of him, and opening the handkerchief.

Gray sighed. "Of course you did..." he said wearily, but Juvia wasn't listening as she unpacked the levels of the bento, and placed one in front of him.

That was another thing that bothered Gray. Juvia seemed to think their relationship had reached another level, but she hadn't bothered consulting Gray about it before acting on that assumption. As far as he was concerned, Gray had not signed off on that just yet. Why couldn't they take things slow? It was embarrassing, as everyone else in the guild had made the same assumption, and even eating together drew people's attention now. Gray could see smirking, amused faces all around him. It pissed him off.

"Gray?" she said, calling him out of his irritated musings. "I made curry rice, your favorite," she smiled, indicating the bento in front of him.

Gray took note of the carrots floating within the soupy stew. They were in the shape of hearts. Gray grimaced, but took a bite. It was delicious, just like everything Juvia made, and for some reason this annoyed him even more.

Juvia, seeming satisfied that Gray was now eating, took a few bites out of her own bento. They ate in silence for several minutes, until Juvia broke it. "Gray, about tomorrow, for our -our..."

Gray looked over to her, and he could see her face had gone red. He knew she was talking about the "date."

"What about it?," he said disinterestedly, and that seemed to jolt her out of her reverie.

Her smile faltered a bit, but she pressed on. "Well, we didn't decide when and where we would meet."

"In front of the guild at noon," he said without really thinking about it.

"Oh, ok," she said, and she gave him a searching look, as if wanting to say something more. But, she must have decided against it, as she went back to her bento.

They spent the rest of the lunch in silence. Gray looked over at her a few times, and she had a smile on her face. - the kind that she got whenever she was fantasizing about something ridiculous. Gray sighed resignedly, and ate as quickly as possible, so he could get away from the situation. But, surprisingly, Juvia finished before he did, and told him that she was headed back to the dorm to get ready for the next day.

"From now?!" he asked her incredulously.

"Well yes! You see, Juvia has to pick out what she's going to wear, and how she's going to do her hair, and what accessories to -" she explained, as Gray waved his hands frantically at her.

"Fine, fine! You do that," he said, wishing he hadn't asked. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

She smiled brightly, blushing, and nodded her head. "Yes." She gave him one last, glowing look, before spinning around, and walking out of the guild into the sunshiny outdoors.

Gray sighed. Not wanting to hang around the guild himself, and continue to be smirked at, he got up and left. He was going straight to his dorm, and prepare for the next days events as well, but in a much different way than Juvia, he was sure. He doubted very much that Juvia was going to spend the rest of the night sulking, and wondering how he had ever gotten himself into this situation, and how he could possibly get himself out of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**To everyone who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this story, thanks so much! This chapter will probably be the longest of the bunch for this story, so I hope you guys like it. ^_^**

Gray had spent the previous night locked in his dorm room, trying to find a way out of the date with Juvia. But, he realized eventually that he was being a jerk. It was a bet, after all, and Juvia had won fair and square. And now he had to deliver. And it wasn't as though she was asking for a lot. In fact, the date itself wasn't what bothered Gray the most, it was what it would mean, and especially what it would mean to Juvia. If a kiss had changed things so dramatically, so quickly, what would a date do? The repercussions were something he wasn't sure he was ready to deal with. Gray didn't like change. He liked things the way they were. And, alright, yes, he could think of a million other things that were worse than maybe having to kiss Juvia again, but would he be able to put up with the teasing, and superior, knowing looks from the other guild members if they did start officially going out? Somehow, Gray didn't like to consider the possibilities.

After a restless sleep, he ended up waking up at eight, which was far earlier than usual for him. He dressed, and went to find something to eat for breakfast. He decided he didn't want to head to the guild yet. So, he just walked around Magnolia for a few of hours, trying to clear his head, while munching on a breakfast sandwich he picked up from a local vendor.

When he saw it was nearing noon, he decided it was time to succumb to his fate, and finally headed for the guild. The minute he had gotten within a few yards of it, however, he regretted immediately suggesting it as the meeting place. Everyone was hanging out outside, as if they were expecting something. In fact, the only person Gray didn't see there was Juvia.

Gray, hoping against hope that the guild members were sitting around outside for some other, unrelated reason, put on a brave face, and made his way towards the entrance. But, this slight hope evaporated immediately as he reached the gate.

"Oh! Here he comes!" Mirajane said, pointing at Gray. "Juvia isn't here yet," she said conspiratorially, her hand to the side of her face, but not bothering to keep her voice down at the same time.

Gray merely stared at her, a sinking feeling in his chest.

"So, first date?" Elfman said, putting his muscular arm around Gray. "Taking a girl on a date is being a man!"

Gray look at him in disbelief. "Huh?"

Erza came up to him too. "I saw Juvia this morning in the dorm. She's so excited," she said approvingly.

"Um... great," he said, not necessarily pleased.

"Oh, imagine if you guys get married, and have kids..." Lucy said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Kids?" he croaked, his mouth agape.

Natsu suddenly came into view, Happy flying beside him. "I don't get it, why are we all waiting around here for?"

Lucy looked at him in annoyance. "This is where Gray and Juvia are meeting for their date," she explained slowly, as if pointing out the obvious.

"Date?" he said, dumbfounded, and then something seemed to click in his brain. "Like, for a battle? Yes! I get to fight the winner!" he exclaimed, punching his fist to his palm.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Never mind," she said quietly to herself.

Gray was completely bewildered by this audience, but he didn't have time to react to much more, as he heard Mirajane cry out, "there she is!"

He turned around and saw Juvia, her hair up in a ponytail again, wearing a sky blue dress with white accents, and feminine heels walking up the road towards them. She looked very pretty, but Gray couldn't help but be very aware of the onlookers surrounding them. Instead of waiting for her to reach the gate, he made the decision to go meet her instead.

Seeing that Gray was making his way toward her, Juvia stopped walking, and waited. "Hello, Gray," she said brightly as he reached her. She looked up at him, a radiant expression on her face.

"Hi," he said back, while feeling dozens of pairs of eyes upon them.

"You look really nice," she said politely.

Gray found this a funny thing to say, as he wasn't dressed any differently than usual. But before he could reciprocate the compliment, Happy came swooping down around them.

"She liiiiiiiiiiikes you," he said, his tongue rolling as he put his paws up to his mouth and sniggered.

Juvia laughed, but Gray, finding it prudent that they get out of there as quickly as possible, ignored Happy.

"Let's go!" He grabbed a hold of a surprised Juvia's arm, and pulled her with him towards the center of town. He could hear distant whistles, cat calls, a few "good lucks" from some of the girls, and even a "be a man!" from Elfman, as the noise of the guild faded into the chattering of the townsfolk going about their shopping.

Once at a safe distance from the guild, he realized he still had a hold of Juvia's arm. Warmth rising to his face, he let go of her immediately.

She looked up at him, a little disappointed, but she put on a smile again almost at once, and asked, "so, where do you want to go first?"

Gray shrugged, a little uncomfortable. "I don't know, I guess we could grab some lunch somewhere," he said vaguely, looking around.

Juvia brightened at this suggestion. "Juvia knows a good place!" and she lead their way towards a small cafe near the edge of town named Agua Con Hielo. Gray had never been there before, and he told her as much.

"Really?" she asked, surprised.

He shrugged. "I usually eat at the guild," he explained, staring up at the sign of the cafe, which had a drawing of a snow cone mascot at the top.

"Well, Juvia likes this place because it also serves delicious ice cream," she revealed.

They ended up sitting down at one of the outdoor tables, and a waitress took their order. Juvia ordered chicken salad, and Gray got a chili-cheese dog.

They sat and ate, Juvia neatly piercing bits of chicken and greens with her fork, and Gray taking hulking bites out of his hotdog, so as not to drop chili all over himself. Juvia attempted at one point to try and offer Gray a taste of her chicken. He accepted to be polite, but she tried to feed it to him from across the table. Completely embarrassed at this gesture, he awkwardly grabbed the fork from her instead, and put the chicken into his mouth himself, before handing the fork back to her.

Juvia looked disheartened at first, but then seemed completely overcome with some kind of dawning realization. She looked at the fork as if it was a sacred treasure. She then proceeded to take a bite with it herself, and kept it in her mouth much longer than was normal.

He looked at her, completely baffled, until he heard her whisper in ecstasy, "Gray and Juvia's mouths..."

Gray flushed, mortified. He took another bite of his hotdog, and tried to overlook the incident by starting up a conversation instead. "So, uh, you were a member of Phantom Lord for how many years again?"

At the question, Juvia seemed to come out of her delighted trance, "Oh! About three years. Juvia was recruited, because the master had heard talk of my water abilities. Originally, Juvia was intrigued by the idea of a group of people accepting each others differences, and using their powers to help others," she said, as her face suddenly darkened. "Phantom Lord wasn't always what you saw of us when we challenged Fairy Tail," she explained, sadness in her tone. "We used to pride ourselves on taking down dark guilds. Juvia thought she was doing noble work, but somewhere along the line, Phantom Lord lost sight of it's purpose... and Juvia did too," she looked ashamed, as she played with the greens on her plate.

Gray felt like an idiot for bringing up Phantom Lord. "Yeah, but that's all in the past ,though," he said encouragingly. "Now you're a member of Fairy Tail."

She looked up from her plate, and nodded, giving him a watery smile.

He smiled back.

"What about you? When did you join Fairy Tail?" she asked, as she dabbed at her eyes with her napkin.

'Forever ago, it feels like," he said reminiscently. And a picture popped into his head of his younger self demanding Master Makarov to tell him how to undo Ur's ice shell spell.

Somehow Juvia seemed to sense what was going on in Gray's head by the look on his face."I heard Ur was an amazing wizard," she said kindly.

Gray didn't much like talking about Ur, and especially with people who didn't even know her, but for some reason, what Juvia said didn't bother him, because he felt it was coming from a good place. "She was more than that," he started, his mind flooding with memories of the ice mage, "she was a amazing woman. She was like a... a mom to me and Lyon. I didn't have anything left after Deliora wiped out my town, and my parents with it. She gave me something to hold onto, and to strive for that wasn't just revenge or hatred. She was a good person," he finished simply, inwardly chastising himself at the tone of nostalgic affection he knew had seeped through his voice.

"It sounds like she really loved you two," Juvia said, and there was a look of understanding that passed between them at that moment.

Gray felt a little warm, and wondered momentarily if it was the chili catching up with him. He scratched his head, and continued, "Maybe... But, it wasn't always good times. She could be kind of crazy, too," he laughed, and she giggled as well.

"Like how she made you train in your underwear in the cold?" she asked, still laughing.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Thanks to her I... Hey! How did you know that?" he looked at her, surprised.

She blushed deeply at his question. "Well..." she said hesitantly, "when Juvia first joined Fairy Tail, she... she wanted to learn more about you, and your _hobby._" Seeing the look on his face, she went on quickly, still flushed. "And Cana just told Juvia a bit of your history, that's all."

Gray fumed inwardly, thinking he'd need to have a word with Cana when he got back to the guild. Also, knowing Juvia (and knowing Cana), something told Gray that Juvia knew more than just a bit of his history. Choosing to overlook this invasion of privacy at the moment, however, he decided to turn the tables on Juvia instead.

"And you? What was your life like before you joined Phantom Lord? Did your parents approve of you joining a wizard guild?" Gray didn't know anything about Juvia's history, and he felt curious, until he saw Juvia's face drain of color at the question.

"Juvia doesn't think they really cared one way or the other," she admitted, her face mask-like. "Juvia's parents were much like everyone else Juvia knew at the time. They thought something was wrong with Juvia, because of the rain, and they sent Juvia off to a boarding school when Juvia was very young. Juvia hasn't had any contact with them since then." She said all this in a very casual tone of voice, but it was obvious she was trying very hard not to get emotional.

Anger bubbled within Gray at this information. Gray was torn from his parents because of a rampaging demon, and was lucky enough to be taken in by Ur, and then accepted into Fairy Tail. He had known love and acceptance all of his life, even when he may not have always deserved it. And here was Juvia, one of the kindest, warmest people Gray knew, and she was rejected by nearly everyone around her, including the people who were suppose to love you no matter what. _Her own family cast her aside for such a stupid reason_, Gray thought hotly. He felt like hitting something, or someone. He wanted to track down these parents, and give them a piece of his mind. He wanted to show them how wrong they were to throw such a wonderful person from their lives. He looked at Juvia, and most of all, he wanted to say all of this to her, but instead, he reached over and tenderly grabbed hold of her hand, which was resting on the table.

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

"They don't deserve you," he said seriously, his eyes focused intensely on hers.

She smiled gratefully at him, and as she did so, a few tears escaped down her pale cheeks. She sniffed, and looked down at her now empty plate. "They're only human," she said, without any ill will. "Juvia doesn't blame them. Juvia didn't much like the constant rain either, after all," she reminded him softly. "Besides," she said, brightening up a bit, "not everyone in Juvia's family felt that way. Juvia's grandfather... he was always kind. He understood. He was the first person to tell Juvia her power was beautiful." She looked up at him again, and Gray recalled the discussion they had in the forest during the wyvern job.

She went on. "Grandpa visited Juvia at school often, and always told Juvia that one day she'd meet the person who'd chase away her clouds, and like her for who she was." She stopped for a moment to look tenderly at their hands, which were still joined together. "He ended up passing away shortly before I joined Phantom Lord," she finished, a sad fondness in her tone.

Gray squeezed her hand in his. He wanted to say something more to console her, but before he could think of exactly how to phrase the emotions within him, they were interrupted by the waitress. Gray reflexively let go of Juvia's hand, as the waitress had come to ask them if they'd like to order dessert. Juvia and Gray decided to split a massive hot-fudge sundae, and Juvia's mood lightened considerably at the arrival of the ice cream, which she had been right in saying was excellent. They ended up chatting pleasantly for another half hour, while making their way through their avalanche of icy goodness.

They then decided to walk off their lunch around the perimeter of the town, during which they humored each other with amusing stories. Juvia told Gray about Gajeel, and how he was really more bark than bite. She mentioned how he was the only person she was truly close to during her time in Phantom Lord, and that she saw him as a boisterous little brother. Gray, for his part, told equally amusing, but also embarrassing stories about Lyon. He felt like these stories helped to serve multiple purposes, and Juvia was left with a whole new, and not entirely complimentary view on Gray's former fellow pupil.

They decided to grab some bentos, and make a picnic out of dinner by the river, and watch the sun setting over the horizon. They had fun pointing out the different constellations in the sky as the stars came out. It brought them back to when they visited the spirit world, and the surreal memories of that experience. When it was nearing midnight, they had elapsed into a comfortable silence, as Juvia cooled her feet off in the water. At some point, Juvia had rested her head on Gray's shoulder. He barely even took notice of it at first, he was so at ease. When he did finally realize it, he mused to himself that this dating thing wasn't so bad after all, and a mysterious smile spread across his face. Juvia didn't notice, however, as she was still resting her head against him. Finally, a little past midnight, they decided to pack up, and head back home. Gray offered to walk Juvia back to her dorm, and she accepted immediately.

Once they reached the dusty road that lead to the Fairy Hills dormitory, Juvia stopped, and turned to face Gray. She looked nervous, and she wasn't quite meeting his eyes. "Well, thanks for...everything today," she said, her hands fidgeting with the small bag she was carrying.

He smiled, "No problem. I had fun," he said honestly.

She looked at him hopefully. "Really?"

"Yeah," he affirmed.

She smiled brightly, and then looked down at her shoes. "Juvia is happy to hear that," she confessed, blushing. She then continued, still not meeting his eyes, "I know this date was because of a bet Juvia won, but... Juvia was thinking,... if it was alright with Gray, that maybe we could... go on a date... again some time?" She finished, finally looking up at him again, her face anxious, but also eager.

Gray simply looked at her, and she hastened to add. "It wouldn't have to be any time soon-"

But he interrupted her. "Sure. That would be ok," he said, thinking it would be a little more than ok as he saw her face light up with happiness.

She blushed, and nodded. "Great! Well, goodnight,...Gray," but she didn't make a move to leave. She just stood there awkwardly, as if trying to decide how to go about something.

Gray thought he knew what she was after though, and he laughed softly, and put his hand on top of her head, and ruffled her hair a bit, the way you might do to a child.

She looked into his eyes at this, and whispered his name, "Gray..."

He leaned closer, moving his hand to the back of her neck, and kissed her. Electrifying was the best way he could have described it, as his lips pressed against hers. Since Juvia had her hand against his chest. he really hoped she didn't hear the way his heart was thumping madly. Just as Gray began to wonder why they hadn't done more kissing during the date, as it would have been fun, they broke apart. Juvia's face was completely red now, and he was sure his was flushed as well.

She looked into his eyes, and smiling coyly, said goodnight again, and headed towards the dormitory. She looked back once on her way up the road. Since she was focused on Gray behind her, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and ended up tripping over a rock on the ground. Gray moved to grab her, but she had lifted herself up again almost immediately. She gave an embarrassed little giggle, waved to show she was alright, and continued on her way up the path, not chancing a second look back. Gray watched her in amused affection as she disappeared into the dorm.

_Silly Juvia_, he thought, as he then turned and started back down the path. His mind preoccupied with the kiss they had just shared, and the surprisingly fun day he had, he didn't notice a major bump in the road himself. Just as he was wondering how he could ever have possibly dreaded spending time with Juvia, the front of his shoe clipped the bump. While he didn't face-plant the way Juvia had, he definitely flailed comically for a few seconds before regaining his balance. He looked around quickly. Hoping against hope that no one had seen this mishap, he headed for home, his heart light, and his mind on Juvia.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again for the reviews/follows/favs! I'm really happy you all liked the date. ^^ I'm afraid to say, however, that the next couple of chapters might be a little frustrating, so I hope you'll bear with me. ^_^**

Gray was feeling surly. What had started out as a pretty good day, had slowly but surely taken a turn for the worse. He was currently sitting alone at a table in the guild, ice-cold air radiating off his body. He was seriously contemplating taking another job solo, just to get away from everyone. It had all begun when he had entered the guild, and was bombarded with questions about his date with Juvia. Apparently, Juvia hadn't yet been to the guild that day, and according to the girls, they hadn't seen her in the dorm either, as she was holed up in her room all morning. So, Gray was the first chance they had to find out about the events of the previous day. However, Gray refused to share any details, and when, at the lack of information, the guild members started obnoxiously making up their own theories about what had happened, each one more outrageous than the last, Gray had, had enough. Thoroughly agitated, he growled at them to mind their own business, and warned that the next person to ask him anything about the date or Juvia, would end up as a human-sized ice cube.

So, sitting on his own, mulling over his drink, he wondered why people were so nosy. Did they seriously have nothing better to do than obsesses over his and Juvia's... relationship? Was it that? Did a few kisses and one date constitute a relationship? Did Gray even want a relationship? But, he couldn't deny he had a really great time with Juvia yesterday. Nor could he deny he was attracted to her. It had been him, after all, that initiated two of the kisses, and he would have been outright lying if he said he didn't want to experience those things with Juvia again. In fact, he plainly said so the night before, when Juvia asked him if there was a possibility for another date. No, he definitely wanted something more with Juvia. He just didn't understand why things needed to be so public. He'd be fine, if everyone at the guild wasn't making such a big deal out every little thing. And then there was Juvia herself. Subtlety had never been her strong suit. Admittedly, she had been better on that front ever since they had returned back from the wyvern job. But, she didn't bother to hide anything either. Gray supposed he just didn't feel comfortable with public displays of affection, and here he was, possibly entering into a relationship with a woman who relished in them.

Gray sighed, completely torn, and just as he was about to take a sip of his drink, a hand as hard as iron smashed onto the tabletop in front of him. He looked up as a menacingly spiky, blackhaired man towered over him.

"I need to talk to you, Frosty," Gejeel said, looking stern.

Up until that point Gray's cold fog had thankfully sent a clear signal to the rest of the guild members that he had not wanted to be disturbed, but Gajeel either hadn't gotten, or was ignoring this message.

Gray looked surprised. "Gajeel?" He never really had much to do with Gajeel, so he could only wonder what it was the iron dragon slayer wanted with him, as Gajeel spoke up again.

"Over here," he gestured with his head towards an empty corner of the guild. "I want to talk in private."

Gray reluctantly got up. Gajeel waited for Gray to start walking over to where he had indicated, and then followed closely behind. Gray felt a sense of unease, as he could feel Gajeel's gaze burning into the back of his scalp. When they reached the secluded corner, which was to the right of the bar, Gejeel gave him a penetrating look, before starting.

"I know you're now Juvia's boyfriend, or whatever, " he said.

Gray looked aghast. "B-boyfriend?!" he stuttered, but Gajeel continued on immediately.

"Look," he began, somewhat awkwardly, "she can be a bit of an idiot some times, but that water-logged woman was the only one who really gave a damn about me as a person when we were in Phantom Lord. And damn it if she doesn't deserve to be happy," he said seriously. "And if it's a perverted nudist that makes her happy, so be it.," he shrugged. "I got no problem with that," he said honestly.

Gray was fuming now, wondering in outrage what the whole point of this discussion was.

"So," he said, leaning in, his face threateningly close to Gray's, "I'm just warning you, if you break that fool's heart, you'll be eating iron, got it?" and his fist turned into a iron cylinder, and smashed into the wall right beside Gray's head.

Gray didn't flinch, but he glared back at Gajeel, who merely grinned.

"Gray!"

They both heard Juvia's voice, and Gajeel's iron retreated back into a normal hand, as they both turned to look at an excited Juvia, who was running toward them.

"Hi Gajeel-kun!" she said happily.

"Hey," he said back, and then looked at Gray again. "I'll just leave you two alone," and there was a wry smile on his face that Gray didn't like one bit.

"How are you?" she said, smiling, as she gazed into his eyes.

"Um, I'm fine, I guess," he said, and for some reason, her joyous expression made him feel a bit wary.

"Good! Juvia got you a present," she said, and from behind her back, she pulled out a small, red, velvet box.

At the sight of the box, Gray thought wildly for a moment that she was about to propose. Then he reminded himself that it was the guy who usually did that. Still, you never knew with Juvia...

However, there was not a ring inside the box, but a small silver pin that looked like a sun, with what was easily over thirty thin, spiky rays protruding from it's center.

"It was my grandfather's," Juvia explained lovingly. "He use to wear it all the time when I was little, and he gave it to me as a gift when I left for school," she said, looking at it fondly. "He said that it was to remind me that the sun shined brightly on the inside, no matter what was happening on the outside." She beamed, and looked at Gray adoringly.

"Oh," was all Gray could think to say at this information.

"I want you to have it," and she stared at him expectantly, as she held the box out to him.

Gray, his eyes wide, shook his head quickly. "I can't do that. It was your grandfather's-"

But she cut him off. "Please? It would mean a lot to me, and I think if grandpa was here right now, he'd want you to have it too," she said, and Gray could see some tears forming in her eyes.

Gray couldn't help but be touched. "Ok then. Thanks a lot, Juvia" he said graciously, and the first smile he had worn all day spread onto his face. He held out his hand for the pin.

Juvia smiled widely back, but instead of handing him the box with the pin, she removed it tenderly from it's velvet surroundings, and pinned it gently to Gray's jacket instead. She then stood back a bit to admire the effect. However, this seemed to overwhelm her, and bursting into happy tears, she flung herself at Gray, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh, Gray..." she cried, as her hair tickled the side of his face.

Gray, surprised by this sudden outpouring of emotion, stood stock still, with his hands hanging awkwardly at his side, as Juvia continued to hug him. Unable to help himself, his eyes scanned the rest of the guild, and sure enough, nearly everyone's attention was focused on him and Juvia. Some guild members, mostly the girls, had soppy smiles on their faces. Others were grinning in amusement, and still others were winking, or had their eyebrows raised suggestively. Gray was mortified, as he could feel the heat rising to his face. Without thinking, he hastily grabbed Juvia's shoulders and pushed her away.

Juvia looked stung at the abrupt separation, but Gray couldn't deal with anything right then.

He let go of her, and stammered, "um, I - I got to go." And without another look back at anyone, he practically ran out of the guild


	4. Chapter 4

**Once again, thanks to all those who are reading along, and to everyone who's reviewed/faved/followed! It always means a lot. ^_^ **

Gray was currently sitting down by the river. He had taken refuge there after he had run out of the guild in embarrassment, because Juvia had embraced him in front of everyone. He felt like they (and that he) had become a running joke, and it made him furious. _Why did she have to hug me for? _he thought in frustration, as he picked up a rock from the riverbank where he was sitting, and squeezed it tightly in his hand, as a coat of ice surrounded it. He sighed. _She should never have approached me about that pin at the guild. She knows by now that she gets emotional about stuff like that. She should have more sense. And then to just jump at me like that... What did she expect me to do?_, he reasoned, trying to justify his actions to himself. Anger mingled with guilt within him. He took the ice-covered rock, and tossed it into the water in front of him, and it went skipping over the surface into the distance until it sunk out of sight.

"Gray?" a voice said tentatively from behind him.

Gray turned around. Juvia was standing there. She must have followed him out of the guild. Her bright smile from earlier that day was nowhere to be seen, and her expression was determined, yet sad. She was the last person he wanted to see at the moment, but he could hardly say that to her. Instead, he greeted her tepidly, "oh, hi."

He saw her take a deep breath, as though she was mustering the courage for something before she spoke again. "Tell me the truth...are you ashamed of Juvia?" Her tone was serious, and her stare unwavering.

Gray was taken aback by the question and her gaze, which pierced right through him. He didn't answer immediately, even though he was sure he knew what he honestly felt. _Am I ashamed of Juvia? _He'd sound like the world's biggest jerk if he said yes to this question, but wasn't that what it boiled down to? He said nothing, because the alternative seemed to be too harsh a statement to make.

Juvia, however, seemed to gather the answer from his silence, as her eyes seemed to glaze over. "Juvia understands. Juvia embarrasses you.," she said flatly, but Gray could hear the emotion cracking through her voice now, though he could see she was trying hard not to shed tears. "Well, Gray, you don't have to worry about that anymore. Juvia will leave you alone from now on," and without hesitating, as the tears in her eyes were threatening to fall any second, she turned away from him and ran.

"Juvia!" he called out, his arm outstretched, but he did not run after her. _This was probably for the best_, he thought, as he watched her figure disappear into the crowded main street of Magnolia. They were just too different. These feelings he was having for her were probably just a physical attraction. If she was really right for him, he wouldn't be having all these doubts and worries. _She's just not the one_, he told himself inwardly. But if that was the case, why then did he feel so miserable?

* * *

Gray spent the next several days avoiding Juvia and the guild. But, running low on money, and with the rent due soon, he had no choice but to take up another job. _I'll just run in, grab a job request from the board, and run out before anyone notices I was even there_, he thought determinedly, as he headed into the guild. It was just crowded enough inside, where he could walk in without attracting too much attention. Unable to help himself, he quickly scanned the room for the presence of Juvia, but she was nowhere to be seen. He breathed a sigh of relief for that small favor, and headed straight to the request board, but just before he reached it, the armor-clad image of Erza intercepted him, blocking his path. Her face wore a severe look - the kind that she usually had when she was facing down a foe. Gray froze.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked, her voice just a stern as her expression. "Outside, in private?" she added.

Gray swallowed nervously.

"I wouldn't want to _embarrass_ you, after all" she said coldly, as she walked passed him without waiting for him to answer.

Gray could feel his face drain of color at the subtle reprimand, but, with a fleeting look back at the request board (_so close_), he followed her.

She was waiting for him just outside the entryway to the guild. Gray had no doubts that this would not be a pleasant conversation. However, wanting to get his piece in before she started flaying him, he started talking before she could even unclench her jaw. "Listen, I never said that Juvia embarrassed me. Juvia said that herself, so -"

"Oh please," she cut him off disdainfully. "It was obvious, Gray. The look on your face when she hugged you..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

He could feel himself sweating now. "She shouldn't have done it," he said defensively. "In front of everyone like that..." he trailed off, and before he could stop himself, he began to say all the things he had been stewing over for days. "You all think this is so amusing. It's just one big joke to the guild. Everyone waiting outside for our date. People pestering me about details. Gajeel calling me her..." he couldn't go on, exasperated, and hopeless, he felt like everyone was being incredibly unfair to him. All he wanted was for people to mind their own business.

She studied him steadily for a few seconds before continuing. "You surprise me, you know. Since when did you care what other people think?"

Gray felt the heat rise to his face again, as he avoided meeting her eyes.

She went on, unrelentingly. "I can tell you for a fact, that none of your friends see you or Juvia as a joke. I can't even believe you thought that. We're happy for you," she told him sincerely. " And even if there were people in the guild who thought that way, so what? How on earth is that Juvia's fault? How could you possibly let a few silly looks or comments control your actions? I thought you had more of a backbone than that, or did I seriously overestimate you?" she said, disappointment punctuating every point.

When Gray again didn't answer, Erza sighed deeply, and went on. "The fact of the matter is, Juvia isn't the problem here. And we are not the problem here. The problem is you. And the sad thing about it, is that it's all in your head. And you and Juvia are the only ones who lose out in this situation. You're messing up something, that I can tell, actually makes you really happy."

Gray blushed even more deeply, and the next words escaped from is mouth before he could help himself, "she shouldn't be so..." Gray started, but Erza immediately jumped onto this train of thought.

"Affectionate? Loving? Caring? Honest?" she questioned, and every word cut into Gray like a knife. He finally met Erza's eyes again, and there was a embittered expression on her face.

Gray felt ashamed, but could only say, "Things are moving too fast, that's all..."

But, instead of looking understanding, Erza glared at him, "Do you really even like her?" she questioned earnestly, and for some reason, this more than anything else, hurt the most. As if she was insinuating that he was playing with her feelings. "I only ask, because if you don't, then you should just tell Juvia the truth, and let her get on with her life," she finished harshly, and without waiting for a reply, she headed back into the guild, leaving Gray standing alone at the gate.

When the day began, Gray didn't believe he could possibly feel any worse, but Erza's tongue-lashing had shredded his emotions into pieces. Losing all interest in the job search he meant to undertake, he turned around, and headed back into town. He needed to think.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi there, everyone. I'm so sorry it took so long to get this final chapter up. I had most of this written for a while, but I kept tinkering with it, and then real life got in the way, and this took a back seat. But, as I said, this is the final chapter, so if anybody is still with me, the waiting is all over. ^_^ I hope you enjoy, and thanks to everyone who's reviewed and faved! Your encouragement certainly was a big part of getting me to sit my butt down, and finish this thing. ^^**

Gray walked through the streets of Magnolia for hours, as night fell, and darkness swallowed the crowds around him. After pondering Erza's words, and trying to make sense of his own feelings, he eventually had to admit to himself that Erza was right about one thing, as he found himself once again by the quiet of the riverbank. He usually could care less what other people thought. But with Juvia, it was different. She made such a spectacle out of everything. Everyone had known how she had felt about Gray for ages. So, there had been all this build up, instead of things just progressing naturally, and now he felt like he was under a microscope, and he did not like that one bit.

Maybe he should just tell Juvia that they should just be friends. It would be rude to string her along while Gray was trying to figure out his true feelings. Maybe she could just go and date Lyon instead. They seemed to have more in common anyway. Gray was sure Lyon would love bragging about being in a relationship with Juvia. He'd probably announce it in the Sorcerer Weekly. _Yeah_, Gray thought. _Lyon would have absolutely no problem flaunting a relationship with Juvia_. He imagined Lyon and Juvia walking into Fairy Tail together, hand in hand. They'd probably make a show of eating lunch at the guild, and Juvia would be giving hugs to him instead. They may even kiss in front of everyone... _No_, Gray thought hotly. Lyon as Juvia's boyfriend would be too much to bear. Lyon was his rival, after all. He'd love lording it over Gray that he was dating Juvia instead of him. Not that Gray would care for that reason, of course. It would just be annoying if Lyon had deluded himself that he had gotten one over on Gray. Yes, that was the only reason why Lyon wouldn't do.

_Maybe Wakaba or Macao would try getting together with Juvia_, Gray imagined, laughing to himself as he thought about them admiring her at the guild a week earlier. Wakaba was married, so even if he was interested, that was so not going to happen. And Macao... _Well, he's way too old for her_, Gray thought. Certainly Juvia wouldn't even consider the possibility. Maybe Gajeel was an option? After all, he seemed so protective over Juvia. They both admitted that she was the closest to him during their time in Phantom Lord, and they still went on jobs together often... No, Juvia herself said she only saw him as a brother. _She would never go out with him_, Gray told himself, while imagining Gajeel's horrible grin, and his annoying laugh, as he kissed Juvia right in front of him. Without realizing it, he had frozen the ground all around him. He looked down in surprise at the frosted bank. Gray shook his head, trying to clear it. _She would never date anyone else from the guild_, he thought doggedly, trying to convince himself.

But, if not someone from the guild, surely she'd find some other guy - a stranger Gray didn't know. What if she ended up married, and with a family like Alzack and Bisca? And Gray would have to watch as their kids frequented the guild. Surely, he would be happy for Juvia if such events occurred. But, then why were these thoughts making him so angry? Gray imagined an uncaring Juvia, who didn't pay him any attention, or who treated him completely platonically, and maybe even coldly, the way she had done when they had traveled to the capital for the wyvern job. He had hated that. Not because he missed her fawning over him, but because he saw her as friend, and it was only natural to miss the company of his friend. _Of course_, he thought. _That was the ONLY reason_.

_Besides,_ he told himself, _maybe Juvia wouldn't find another guy_. Maybe she wouldn't want anybody else. Maybe if she couldn't have Gray, she'd choose to be alone. Now Gray was being arrogant. He chastised himself inwardly. And in any case, look at Lyon. He was crazy about Juvia. _But he didn't know her well_, Gray thought harshly. Lyon was just being shallow. He was just physically attracted to Juvia, that was all. Juvia was so much more than a pretty face. She was sweet, and smart, and incredibly kind-hearted and loving. She was also strong, and giving, and selfless. And then Gray realized, sooner or later, some other guy, whether it was Lyon, or a guild mate, or a completely unknown person would discover this, and unlike him, they wouldn't hesitate to give her everything she deserved. And Gray would just have to deal with that, because he...

Dawning comprehension swept over Gray. "I'm an idiot," he said with self-loathing into the night, as he rested his face in his hands. "What am I doing?" he asked into the silence around him, a groan escaping his lips. His mind wandered back to his date with Juvia, and how it had been so easy to talk to her, even about Ur, who Gray usually considered an off-limits subject. He thought about their time in the woods, and their thrilling fight, and her feelings as she washed over, and through him. He thought about their kisses, and the warmth of being close to her in that way, and how wonderful it had made him feel. He thought about how he had promised that they'd have another date, and being excited about the prospect.

Gray then remembered how Juvia had confided in him about how her own parents had shunned her, and how nearly everyone in her life had rejected her. _And now_, he thought bitterly, _I'm about to do the same_., _and for what? _His heart ached, as he remembered her face when she said her grandfather had told her that she'd meet someone who'd chase away her clouds, and Juvia's voice came back to him.

_'You saved me from the rain in my heart.' _

Gray looked down at the silver sun on his jacket, and tears stung his eyes, as her symbolic gift finally hit home with him. He gently touched his hand to the pin. "Juvia..." he whispered tenderly. It all clicked together, as he felt the last bit of something crumble away inside him. He balled his hands into fists, and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. There was a new purpose in his heart. He needed to fix what he had done, and he needed to do it immediately.

He sprinted through town, and within minutes, Gray was walking into the guild. It was always at it's busiest at night, as people hung around the bar, just got back from jobs, or were relaxing in the recreation room downstairs. Gray was hoping that Juvia would be there, so he was relieved to see her sitting at a table near the middle of the room. She looked sad and withdrawn, as she stirred her drink absentmindedly. She was sitting between Erza and Lucy, who's attention was on the stage, where Mirajane was strumming on her guitar. With only a slight hesitation, and a deep breath, Gray walked straight up to the water mage.

"Juvia," he said, and she, and those sitting closest to her, all turned around.

At first she looked surprised, but that quickly faded into a grimace. "What do you want, Gray?" she said icily.

He had expected that, and he had his answer ready. "You." He felt his face grow hot, but he didn't care, as more people turned to look at them.

Juvia seemed to jump a bit at the reply he had given her, and her own face reddened, "What?" she asked faintly, as if unsure of what he had just said.

Gray's resolve hardened as he repeated, "I want _you_." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a smile form on Erza's, and other's faces, but he didn't care about them. Only Juvia mattered right now. "I'm so sorry," he said, sincerity ringing through his voice. "I was being a complete idiot, and the only one I'm embarrassed with is myself" he admitted vehemently. "You're an amazing person, and anyone would be incredibly lucky to be with you."

Juvia's eyes were shining with tears at his words. "Gray...," she started, getting up to face him, but he put his hands on her shoulders, silencing her. He wanted to say everything.

"I know I've really made things harder than they needed to be. But I promise that I'll make it up to you, because..." Gray noticed that everyone in the guild was watching them now, but he went on unperturbed, "you brightened up my life, too," he said, and his voice was soft, but clear as he stared at her intently.

Juvia was definitely crying now, but her eyes wouldn't leave his own. "Really?" she asked him hopefully.

Really," he affirmed, nodding.

Juvia's face, wet with tears, brightened immediately. "That makes Juvia really happy." she said quietly, clearly overwhelmed. "Thank you, Gray," she whispered, her eyes still locked on his own.

Gray smiled at her words, which were so forethright. _So like her. _His heart raced as he pulled her towards him. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and their lips met. This was not like any of their previous kisses. It wasn't exploratory, or tentative, but passionate and honest. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, and Gray could hear whoops and cheering from the guild members. He could have kissed her forever, but he did eventually separate his lips from hers, as he put his forehead against her own, and said, "No, thank you, Juvia."

Juvia smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Gray then took a sideways glance at the crowd, who seemed to be holding their collective breath. "And if anybody has a problem with us," he added menacingly, "they'll have to deal with me." And he let go of Juvia, and produced a giant ice hammer that went crashing onto the table in front of them. Everyone sitting at it jumped backward. Gray grinned, as Juvia giggled, and he heard a chorus of people complaining that they never had any problem with it.

"Good," Gray said, and he pulled a still smiling Juvia into another kiss.

The lights of the guild dimmed, and a guitar strummed once more. "This song is dedicated to all the young lovers out there," Gray heard a gruff, familiar voice echo throughout the room, as he peeked around Juvia's head, and saw a white-suited individual on stage now. He focused back on Juvia, who pressed herself closer to him, as a feint "Shoobi doo bop!" was drowned out by her presence. She looked into his eyes, and he stared right back at her, basking in her warmth. Finally, the last of the ice had melted away, and there was only Juvia.

**The End**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the ride, and sorry again for how long this took to finish. I have a couple of other ideas swimming around in my head, including a fluffy one-shot that takes place a few years into the future from this story, so I'm sure I'll be writing that at some point soon. I also have other Gruvia scenarios apart from this story's universe that I'd like to write. Hopefully, I'll manage to sort through it all, and come up with something worth posting. ^^ Finally, thanks again for reading! It wouldn't have been nearly as much fun writing this story, without people to share it with, so thanks so much to everyone who's followed along! ^_^**


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